1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting bracket for mounting a heat exchanger on an external member, and more particularly, to an improved mounting bracket for a heat exchanger suitable for a situation in which space for mounting is limited, for example, for a heat exchanger used in automobiles.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a known bracket structure 100 for mounting a heat exchanger on an external member 107 is shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, a heat exchanger body 101 has a header pipe 102, and a bracket 103 is connected to header pipe 102 by brazing. Bracket 103 comprises a bracket body 103a and a pin 103b projected from bracket body 103a for positioning bracket body 103a relative to an external member, for example, a frame or a member of an automobile or a rubber cushion 107. Pin 103b is fixed to bracket body 103a by welding or brazing. Bracket body 103a is formed, for example, by the pressing of a plate or by extrusion.
In bracket structure 100, pin 103b is fixed to bracket body 103a after pin 103b is inserted into a hole 104 provided in bracket body 103a. Because space for inserting pin 103b into hole 104 and working space for welding or brazing inserted pin 103b are required for bracket structure 100, a separation "a" must be maintained between a surface 105 of bracket body 103a connected to header pipe 102 and a surface 106 of bracket body 103a connected to an external member 107. Moreover, when bracket body 103a is formed by the pressing of a plate, the plate must be bent in a curved form along the surface of header pipe 102. Because a sufficient working space must be present for this pressing, it is also necessary that the dimension "a" is maintained at a sufficiently large value. Thus, the permissible reduction in dimension "a" is limited in the known bracket structure 100.
In a situation in which space for installation of a heat exchanger is limited, for example, in the situation of heat exchanger installation in automobiles, it is desirable to ensure that the area of the core portion of the heat exchanger is as large as possible, thereby increasing the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger as much as possible. However, when a reduction of separation "a" between surfaces 105 and 106 is limited, as described above, the increase of the heat exchange performance is also limited.